Blood component separation apparatus

ABSTRACT

A blood component separation apparatus is disclosed which comprises at least three plate-like members arranged in a stacked fashion, a blood circulation circuit composed of at least two layers which are arranged between the associated plate-like members, a filter for blood component separation which is incorporated into a blood passage, a plurality of connection ports provided in the plate-like members to allow them to communicate with the blood circulation circuit, communication tubes mounted in the blood circulation circuit to place part of the connection ports in communication with an associated connection port, the communication tube being adapted to control a fluid communication in the blood circulation circuit and an external function section connected to corresponding connection ports. According to the present invention, a three-dimensional blood circuit of a multi-layered structure can be provided which can build up a complex blood circuit of a better function than that of a conventional flat blood circulation circuit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating a bloodcomponent and, in particular, a blood component separation apparatuswhich can build up a blood circulation circuit of a multi-layeredstructure integral with a blood component separator.

BACKGROUND ART

The blood component separation apparatus is adapted to a separatevarious components from the blood, such as a blood corpuscle componentand blood plasma component. The apparatus comprises a separator equippedwith a filter for separating a given component from the blood and ablood circuit section which allows the blood to be extracorporeallycirculated at a given sequence including the separator and returns itback thereto. The blood circulation circuit is generally composed of:

(1) An inlet-side circuit for supplying the blood which has collectedfrom the donor to the separator;

(2) An outlet-side circuit for returning the blood whose component, suchas the blood plasma, has been separated by means of the separator backto the donor; and

(3) A treatment circuit (called as a filtrate circuit for blood plasmaseparation) for treating a component, such as the blood plasma, whichhas been separated by means of the separator.

Further, the respective blood circuit includes a pressure monitoringcircuit, tubes for a blood pump, a liquid medicine inlet, a bubble trap,and so on, so as to allow the circulation of the blood, the smoothfiltration of it by the separator, and so on.

Upon the assembly of a blood component separation apparatus, theaforementioned blood circuits and function section are placed in properlocations and have all to be connected together exactly. The assemblingoperations are very complex in nature and there is a risk that aconnection error will occur oftener.

In order to alleviate cumbersome operations upon assembly and to avoidthe aforementioned connection error, a blood plasma separation apparatushas been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Disclosure (KOKAI)No. 60-190967, which is composed of a blood circuit and intra-circuitfunction section alone as has already been set forth above and isconnected to a hollow-fiber type blood separation filter. In thisapparatus, the blood circuit is composed of two plate-like membersstacked with a grooved passage defined by at least one of them toprovide a stacked structure.

Japanese Patent Disclosure (KOKAI) No. 60-500159 discloses a bloodplasma separation apparatus which incorporates not only a blood circuitand function section as have been set out above, but also a hollow-fibertype blood plasma separation filter, in the same casing to provide apackaged unit and which drives the blood under air pressure control.This apparatus is all of a flat array type including the blood circuit,the blood plasma separation filter and the other function section.

The recent advance of the blood component separation technique in thisfield permits a high-level separation of the blood plasma by, forexample, a double filtration method or a single-needle typerecirculation blood plasma collection method. The double filtrationmethod is directed to separating a protein of a large molecular weightfrom the blood. On the other hand, the single needle type recirculationblood plasma collection method permits the human blood to be collectedout of, and returned back to, the donor by the single syringe needle inwhich case, in order to draw as large an amount of blood plasma aspossible from the blood, plasma-separated blood is recirculated to theseparation filter through the utilization of a blood storage container,a recirculation circuit and a recirculation pump.

The aforementioned blood component separation apparatus requires acomplicated blood circulation circuit and a more cumbersome assemblingoperation. In the case of such a blood component separation apparatusincluding the aforementioned blood circuit, the function section and theseparator as an integral unit, a current demand cannot be satisfiedbecause these component parts have to be arranged as a flat array unit.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a blood componentseparation apparatus which can be applied to a system needing a verycomplex circuit arrangement and multi-function section, such as a singleneedle type recirculation blood plasma collection system or a doublefiltration system, and can do so by a simpler assembling operationwithout involving any connection error.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blood componentseparation apparatus which, upon the use of it, can simplify a requisitepreparation operation following the extacorporeal circulation of theblood.

In order to achieve the aforementioned object, according to the presentinvention, a blood circuit for allowing the extacorporeal circulation ofthe blood, intra-circuit multi-function section and separation filterare three-dimensionally assembled, as an integral unit, in the samecasing. Further, external connection ports for communicating with aninternal blood circuit are provided in the casing to allow the externalfunction port to communicate with an associated external connection portor another circulation line.

That is, the blood component separation apparatus of the presentinvention comprises at least three plate-like members arranged in astacked fashion, a blood circulation circuit composed of at least twolayers which are arranged between the associated plate-like members, afilter for blood component separation which is incorporated in the bloodpassage, a plurality of connection ports mounted in the plate-likemembers to allow them to communicate with the blood circulation circuit,communication tubes mounted in the blood circulation circuit to placepart of the connection port in communication with the associatedconnection port, the communication tube being adapted to control a fluidcommunication in the blood circulation circuit, and an external functionsection connected to other associated port.

According to the present invention, as the plate-like members, use canbe made of plates which are molded of synthetic resin. In this case,grooves and recesses for defining a blood circulation circuit, as wellas through-holes for associated connection ports, are provided in theplates. That is, a blood circulation circuit is defined between theplate-like members by stacking the plate-like members in a matingfashion. According to the present invention, at least three plate-likemembers are stacked in a mating fashion to provide a three-dimensionalblood circuit, an important feature of the present invention. That is,the blood circuit is three-dimensionally formed to enable a bloodcircuit to be achieved in a more complicated way than the conventionalcounterpart which is simply of a flat array type.

According to the present invention, the blood circulation circuitcontains a casing which has a blood component separation filterincorporated therein. As the filter which is contained in the casing,use may usually be made of a microporous membrane having a pore size of0.005 to 20 μm. For a double filtration method using a complicatedcircuit, or a single needle type recirculation blood plasma collectionmethod, the microporous membrane has a pore size of 0.1 to 1 μm. Ahollow fiber- and a flat layer-type filter may also be employed.However, the flat layer-type filter is preferred to the hollow fibertype filter which requires a potting process.

The aforementioned blood circulation circuit contains a bubble trap, apressure monitoring circuit, a liquid level detection section fordetecting the level of a liquid such as the blood or physiologicalsaline, a hemolysis detection section for detecting the hemoglobin levelin the blood, a blood storage container, a sampling inlet for samplingthe blood or blood component, and so on.

According to the present invention, a soft communication tube isgenerally used to connect the connection port to the associatedconnection port. The connection tube, if being properly set relative toan external device such as a roller pump or circuit clamp, serves as apump tube or circuit blocking means. It is possible to mount, forexample, the roller pump and circuit clamp as a structure integral withthe plate-like member.

According to the present invention, examples of the external functionsection connected to the connection ports are as follows:

(a) a blood sampling passage line, including a syringe needle for bloodsampling or catheter;

(b) a blood return passage line for returning the blood back to thedonor;

(c) an anti-coagulant mixing passage line for mixing an anti-coagulantsuch as an ACD (acid citrate dextrose), CPD (citrate phosphatedextrose), heparin and mesylated gabexate, into the blood sampled;

(d) a pressure monitoring port connection passage line for monitoring apressure in respective portion of the extracorporeal circulationcircuit;

(e) a physiological saline passage line for washing the interior of theextracorporeal circulation circuit, which is connected to aphysiological saline container;

(f) an anti-coagulant container connection passage line connected to theanti-coagulant container;

(g) a blood component sampling passage line connected to the containerfor storing a blood component, such as the platelet and plasma, which isseparated from the blood;

(h) various passage lines connected, as required, to the associatedcontainers, for example, one for a potassium preparation to be used fora citric acid-based drug application and one for a frozen fresh bloodplasma to be used upon the replacement of the blood plasma or one for analbumin preparation;

(i) a blood storage container for temporarily storing the sampled bloodor the filtered blood;

(j) a spent liquid storage container for discharging a circuit washingliquid, a blood priming liquid, and so on;

(k) a blood component-separated container for discharging the bloodcomponent, such as the lean protein plasma separated from the filter ora rich protein plasma of a high molecular weight, or other containers.

As has been set forth above, the blood component separation apparatus ofthe present invention is composed of a specific blood circuit of athree-dimensional layered structure with a filtering mechanismincorporated therein. It is thus possible to readily form a complicatedblood circuit of a multi-layered structure which has not been able to bereadily achieved in the conventional technique. It is also possible toconnect the external function section having various functions, ifrequired, to the aforementioned blood circuit because the externalconnection ports are provided there in accordance with the variousfunctions. Even in a case of an apparatus needing a complexextacorporeal circulation circuit, such as a blood component separationapparatus using the double filtration or the single needle typerecirculation blood plasma collection method, no cumbersome operation isnecessary upon the assembly of the apparatus and a circuit connectionerror can be eliminated according to the present invention.

The blood circuit of a multi-layered structure as has already been setforth above can also obtain various advantages, such as performing moresaving in the amount of priming liquid than that in the conventionalapparatus.

For the conventional apparatus, individual component parts areindependently sterilized prior to using the apparatus. According to thepresent invention, a sterilizing operation can be simplified because themain component parts are built up as a multi-layered structure and henceless component parts are used for sterilization. Further, there is ahigh possibility that various germs will be deposited on the sterilizedcomponent parts upon assembly of the conventional apparatus. Theapparatus of the present invention can readily be assembled aftersterilization, thus avoiding the deposition of the germs on thecomponent parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a blood component separation apparatusaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are plan views showing the component parts of the bloodcomponent separation apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4A and 4B and FIGS. 5A and 5B are views showing other componentparts of the blood component separation apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line VI--VI in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views as taken along lines VII--VIIand VIII--VIII in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are views showing a blood component separation filter;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view for explaining the operation of a rollerpump;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a blood circuit clamp; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing part of a blood componentseparation apparatus according to another embodiment of the presentinvention.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 to 9 show an embodiment of the present invention which isapplied to a single-needle type recirculation plasma separationapparatus. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a whole arrangement of thepresent embodiment; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lineVI--VI in FIG. 1; and FIGS. 2 to 5 and 9 are views showing componentparts of the arrangement as set forth above.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 shows an assembly including a bloodcircuit and bubble trap and a filter section. The assembly 1 comprises afour-layered structure composed of a first plate-like member 2 shown inFIG. 2, a second plate-like member 3 shown in FIG. 3, a third plate-likemember 5 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B and a fourth plate-like member 4 shownin FIGS. 4A and 4B--see FIG. 6. FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional viewsshowing arrangements taken along line VII--VII and along line VIII--VIIIin FIG. 2, respectively.

The first plate-like member 2 includes, as shown in FIG. 1, a greaternumber of connection ports 29 to 42 and 44 to 59 as through-holes orrecesses in which case the connection ports 40, 44, are recesses. Theplate-like member 2 also includes an opening 60 and a recess 44. Groovesa connect the connection port to the corresponding connection port andthe external connection port to the recess 43 and provide a patterndefining a predetermined blood circuit.

As the first plate-member, use can be made of a desired molding obtainedby forming a relatively rigid synthetic resin by, for example, aninjection-, extrusion-, vacuum- and compressed-air molding method inwhich case the synthetic resin may be of such a type as to be used, forexample, for medical application. The aforementioned synthetic resinincludes polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate,acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polystyrene, etc.

The second plate-like member 3 includes opening 60a, ports 40a, 44a and52a which are so provided as to correspond to the opening 60, ports 40,44 and 52, respectively. The first plate-like member 2 and secondplate-like member 3 are attached to each other in a superimposed fashionto provide clearances at the locations of the grooves a and recess 43.The grooves a provide blood circuits and the recess 43 provides a bubbletrap. The openings 40a, 44a provide a connection port for a bloodcircuit formed between the third and fourth plate-like members 5 and 4.The openings 60, 60a serve as a through-hole for inserting, for example,a circuit clamp, as set forth in FIG. 11.

The medical synthetic resin can be formed into a desired shape for thesecond plate-like member 3 as in the case of the first plate-likemember. In this case, the synthetic resin is of such a type that it canbe bonded to the first plate-like member by a suitable method, such as ahigh frequency fusion and an ultrasonic fusion method as well as by asolvent, bonding agent, etc. As the synthetic resin, use can be made of,for example, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate polypropylene,acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polystyrene,ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer, polyurethane, synthetic rubber andsilicone rubber.

FIG. 5A is a plan view showing the third plate-like member and FIG. 5Bis a cross-sectional view showing the third plate-like member of FIG.5A. As shown in FIG. 5B, the third plate-like member 5 has a plate-likeconfiguration with a flange 5a and connection ports 64 to 67 on thebottom. These connection ports are connected to the correspondingconnection ports 40, 44, 52 and 53 of the first plate-like member. Thethird plate-like member 5 can be formed, by a similar method, into adesired configuration with the use of the same synthetic resin as thefirst plate-like member 2.

FIG. 4A is a plan view showing the fourth plate-like member and FIG. 4Bis a cross-sectional view showing the plate-like member of FIG. 4A. Asshown in these Figures, the fourth plate-like member 4 has a disc-likeconfiguration. The fourth plate-like member 4 is attached to the thirdplate-like member 5 at a location of a flange 5a of the latter member.The fourth plate-like member 4 can be formed by a similar method into adesired configuration with the use of the same method as set forthabove.

A flat film stacking type filter 62 as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B isdisposed between the third and fourth plate-like members 5 and 4, FIGS.9A and 9B being a plan view and cross-sectional view, respectively. Thefilter 62 is composed of a large number of microporous films 62b whichhave a fluid passage 62a as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. In this way, theblood circuit is three-dimensionally constructed including the filtersection.

As shown in FIG. 1, a pump tube 23 connects the connection port 29 tothe connection port 41, a pump tube 26 connects the connection port 55to the connection port 57, a pump tube 27 connects the connection port58 to the connection port 59 and a pump tube 28 connects the connectionport 36 to the connection port 37. The first and second plate-likemembers 2 and 3 have cutouts corresponding to the aforementionedconnection ports. A roller pump as shown in FIG. 10 is incorporated intothe cutouts.

In FIG. 10, reference numeral 113 shows a tube fixing member. The tubefixing member 113 has a circular fixing surface 113 along which the pumptube 27 is fitted in place. A rotor 114 is located opposite to thecircular fixing surface 113a and has three rollers 114a relative to thesurface 113a. The rotor 114 is rotated in a predetermined direction,while allowing the rollers 114a to be pressed against the pump tube 27,so that a liquid, such as the blood, is driven in a predetermineddirection.

As shown in FIG. 1, the connection tube 24 connects the connection port45 to the connection port 47 and the connection tube 25 connects theconnection port 46 to the connection port 48. The through-holes (theopenings 60, 60a) are formed relative to these connection ports. Acircuit clamp as shown in FIG. 11 is incorporated into the through-hole.As shown in FIG. 11, the circuit clamp thus incorporated comprises afixed member 111 and a pushing member 112 which is reciprocable in adirection orthogonal to the surface of the fixed member 111 as indicatedby an arrow in FIG. 11. The connection tube 25 is attached to thesurface of the fixed member 111 and its fluid passage is blocked bypressing the pushing member against the tube. This structure has anadvantage in that it is possible to readily mount the circuit clamp inplace in the associated structure.

The other connection ports in the first plate-like member are connectedto the external function sections as already set out above. For example,a blood storage container 69 is connected to connection ports 78 and 79.As the blood storage container 69 use is made of a vinyl chloride bag.This bag is placed on the layered structure as shown in FIG. 1. Aconnection port 30 is connected to an ACD container 21 via a passageline 71 and the connection port 31 is connected by a passage line 72 toa physiological salt solution container 22 via a valve 72a. Theconnection port 32 is connected by a passage line 74 to a venouspressure monitor 8a, the connection port 33 is connected by a passageline 75 to an output pressure monitor 8b, the connection port 34 isconnected by a passage line 76 to an input pressure monitor 8c, and theconnection port 35 is connected by a passage line 77 to a blood plasmamonitor 8d. Further, the connection port 42 is connected to an ACDmixing passage line 9, the connection port 51 is connected to a bloodreturn passage line 10, and the connection port 54 is connected to ablood collection passage line 12. A valve 10a and valve 12a are providedon the blood return passage line 10 and blood collection passage line12, respectively. The connection port 49 is connected to a spent-liquidcontainer 19 via a passage line 20. The connection port 39 is connectedrespectively through a valve 15 and valve 16 to a spent blood plasmacontainer 17 and blood plasma collection container 18 by means of ablood plasma passage line 14. The connection ports 50 and 56 areconnected to the blood storage container 69 respectively through theconnection tubes 78 and 79.

The filter 62 can be incorporated into the layered structure not only bythe aforementioned method but also by other proper methods. As shown inFIG. 12, for example, use may be made of, in place of the third andfourth plate-like members 5 and 4, a plate-like unit 121 definingconnection ports 126, 127 and 128, a groove 122 for defining a bloodpassage and a recess 129 for a filter housing. As shown in FIG. 12, theplate-like unit 121 is attached directly to a second plate-like member 3to define a blood circuit 122 and the aforementioned filter housing 129.The filter 62 is held within the housing 129 and a communication tube124 connects the connection port 126 to the connection port 127. Theconnection port 128 is connected by a communication tube 125 to acorresponding connection port. In this way, the blood circuit includingthe filter section can be three-dimensionally formed, as shown in FIG.12, in the same way as that in FIG. 6 on the blood circuit which isdefined by the first and second plate-like members 3 and 4. It ispossible to stack blood storage containers 69 (FIG. 1) as an integralunit. In the structure as shown in FIG. 12, therefore, those connectionports which are formed on the second plate member 3 are arranged in adifferent way from that shown in FIG. 3.

A way of separating a plasma component from the collected blood on theblood component separation apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1 will beexplained below. The operation process is performed in an order of aprime washing, a blood priming, a blood plasma collection, bloodreturning and washing step.

Prime Washing

First, the valves 72a and 12a are opened to flow a physiological salineinto the passage line 72, passage line across the connection port 31 and54, and passage line 12. The physiological saline is introduced into theblood storage container 69 via a passage between the connection ports 54and 55 and that between the connection ports 57 and 50 by rotating aroller pump of the communication tube 26 with the valve 12a andcommunication tube 25 closed. At the same time, the roller pump of thecommunication tube 27 is rotated with the valve 10a and communicationtube 24 opened and closed, respectively. That liquid supply speed is setat the same rate as that of the communication tube 26. In this way, aphysiological saline is introduced into the separation filter 62 withthe use of the passage between the connection ports 56 and 58 and thatbetween the connection ports 59 and 53. The priming of the filter 62 iscarried out with the passage line (including the valve trap 43) betweenthe connection ports 44 and 51 and passage line 10.

The roller pump of the communication tube 28 is rotated with the valves15 and 16 opened and closed, respectively. By the passage line throughthe connection ports 52, 40, 36, 37, 38 and 39, the physiological salinewhich has been filtered by the filter 62 is discharged followed by thepriming of the filterate circuit.

Finally, the priming of the ADC container 21 is carried out by thepassage line 71 connected to ADC container, passage line connectedbetween the connection ports 30, 29 and 41, 42, and passage line 9. Thepriming operation is performed by rotating the roller pumps of thecommunication tubes 26, 27 and 28 with the valves 72a, 10a andcommunication tube 25 closed and the roller pumps of the communicationtubes 26, 27 and 28 stopped. After the priming of the ACD line iscompleted, the roller pump of the communication tube 23 is stopped.

Blood Priming

A blood donor is intravenously injected by a syringe needle for bloodcollection. Then the roller pumps of the communication tubes 26 and 27are rotated at a flow speed of 50 ml/min. with the valves 12a, 15 andcommunication tube 24 opened. In this way, the circuit is filled withthe blood and stored in the blood storage container 69.

At the same time, the roller pump of the communication tube is rotatedat a liquid supply speed of 10 ml/min. and the roller pump of thecommunication tube 23 is rotated. Normally, the roller pump of thecommunication tube 23 is rotated at a speed of a tenth that of theroller pump of the communication tube 26, that is, at the liquid supplyspeed of 5 ml/min. By so doing, an ACD solution is mixed in the bloodcollected.

The communication tube 25 is opened after two minutes and thecommunication tube 25 is opened. After the lapse of one minute, theroller pumps of the communication tubes 23 and 26 are stopped and therotation speed of the roller pump of the communication tube 27 is raisedup to a liquid supply speed of 75 ml. At the same time, the valve 12aand communication tube 25 are opened and closed, respectively, to allowthe blood which is taken up in the blood storage container 69 to bereturned back to the donor. At the time when the blood in the bloodstorage container 69 is drained, the valves 10a, 15 are closed and thecommunication tube 25 and valve 66 are opened so that the blood plasmacollection operation may be performed.

Plasma Collection

The blood priming is followed by a blood collection and a plasmacollection step through blood recirculation.

First, the roller pumps of the communication tubes 23 and 26 are rotatedat liquid supply speeds of 5 ml/min. and 50 ml/min. and the roller pumpof the communication tube 27 is rotated at the liquid supply speed of 75ml/min. By so doing, the blood which is drawn from the donor passesthrough the filter 62 where the plasma component is taken from theblood. After the plasma taking step, the filtered blood is stored in theblood storage container 69. The blood being thus stored, together withthe blood freshly drawn in, is recirculated through the filter 62 toallow the taking of the plasma from the blood to be repeated. The bloodplasma component is supplied from the filter 62 into the blood plasmacollection container 18 for storage. It is to be noted that, during theblood collection, the roller pump of the communication tube 28 isrotated at a liquid supply speed of 13 ml/min.

One plasma collection cycle is completed when 25 to 250 ml of blood istaken as a predetermined amount. This step is carried out by stoppingthe roller pumps of the communication tubes 23 and 26 and opening thevalve 10a with the communication tube 25 closed. Then a blood returningcycle is performed until all the blood is run out of the blood storagecontainer 69. During this period of time, the roller pump of thecommunication tube 28 is rotated at the speed of 13 ml/min.

The plasma taking and blood returning steps are repeated until theamount of blood plasma in the blood collection container 18 reaches 400to 500 ml as a predetermined amount. When that predetermined amount ofplasma component is reached, all the roller pumps are stopped with thevalve 16 closed.

Blood Return and Washing

The valves 12a and 72a are closed and opened, respectively. The blood inthe blood circuit is returned back to the donor by rotating the rollerpumps of the communication tubes 26 and 27 at the liquid supply speed of50 ml/min. for 1 minute.

Then the physiological saline is stored in the blood storage container69 by rotating the roller pump of the communication tube 26 at theliquid supply speed of 50 ml/min. with the roller pump of thecommunication tube 27 stopped.

Then the valves 72a and 12a are closed and opened, respectively. In thisway, the roller pump of the communication tube 26 is rotated, in areverse direction, at the liquid supply speed of 50 ml/min. for 1 minuteto allow the passage line 12 to be washed.

Then with the valves 10a and 12a closed, the roller pump of thecommunication tube 27 is rotated, in the reverse direction, at theliquid supply speed of 50 ml/min. for 10 seconds to wash the line 88,communication tube 25 and connection ports 48 and 50.

Then the communication tube 25 is closed and the valves 72a and 10a areopened. In this state, the roller pumps of the communication tubes 26and 27 are rotated, in the normal direction, at the liquid supply speedof 50 ml/min. for 1 minute to allow the filter 62 to be washed.

Finally, the blood plasma collection operation is ended by withdrawingthe syringe needle out of the donor.

We claim:
 1. A blood component separation apparatus comprising:at leastthree plate-like members arranged in a stacked fashion; a bloodcirculation circuit comprising at least two layers which are arrangedbetween associated plate-like members and at least partly defined bygrooves in said plate-like members; a filter housing formed as a part ofblood passages in the blood circulation circuit; a blood componentseparation filter mounted in the filter housing; a plurality ofconnection ports provided in the plate-like members to allowcommunication with the blood circulation circuit; communication tubesmounted in the blood circulation circuit to place part of the connectionports in communication with associated ports, the communication tubesincluding means for controlling fluid communication in the bloodcirculation circuit; and an external function section connected tocorresponding connection ports.
 2. The blood component separationapparatus according to claim 1, wherein an opening is provided in atleast two of said at least three plate-like members at a location nothampering the function of said blood circulation circuit, saidcommunication tubes are provided across the opening, and a clampingmember is provided at the opening to control the closing and opening ofthe communication tube.
 3. The blood component separation apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein, at a marginal position not hampering thefunction of said blood circulation circuit, cutouts are so provided asto penetrate at least two of said at least three plate-like members withsaid communication tube arranged across the cutouts, and a roller pumpis mounted in the cutout with the communication tube located relative tothe roller pump.
 4. The blood component separation apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein said blood circulation circuit has a valve trap. 5.The blood component separation apparatus according to claim 1, whereinsaid blood circulation circuit has a pressure monitoring circuit.
 6. Theblood component separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidblood circulation circuit has a circuit closing site.
 7. The bloodcomponent separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bloodcirculation circuit has a housing section for a filter mechanism.
 8. Theblood component separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidblood circulation circuit has a liquid level detection section.
 9. Theblood component separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidblood circulation circuit has a hemolysis detection section.
 10. Theblood component separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidblood circulation circuit has a blood storage container.
 11. The bloodcomponent separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bloodcirculation circuit has a sample collection inlet.
 12. The bloodcomponent separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidexternal function section has a blood discharging passage line.
 13. Theblood component separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidexternal function section has a blood return passage line.
 14. The bloodcomponent separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidexternal function section has an anti-coagulant mixing passage line. 15.The blood component separation apparatus according to claim 1, whereinsaid external function section has a pressure-monitoring port connectionline.
 16. The blood component separation apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said external function section has a physiological salinepassage line.
 17. The blood component separation apparatus according toclaim 16, wherein said external function section has an anti-coagulantmixing passage line.
 18. The blood component separation apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said external function section has a bloodcomponent collection container.
 19. The blood component separationapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said external function sectionhas a blood storage container.
 20. The blood component separationapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said external function sectionhas a blood component discharging container.
 21. The blood componentseparation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said externalfunction section has a liquid medicine container connection passageline.
 22. The blood component separation apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said communication tubes comprise a pump tube with a roller pumpset in place.
 23. The blood component separation apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said communication tubes are set relative to anexternal tube closing unit to provide a circuit closing site.
 24. Theblood component separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein afilter for blood component separation comprises a flat type filterhaving a layered structure.